Warhead

ABSTRACT

A WARHEAD IN WHICH THE EXPLOSIVE INGREDIENTS ARE STORED SEPARATELY IN PARTITIONED SPACES TO RENDER EACH INGREDIENT BY ITSELF INERT TO SHOCK. THE EXPLOSION IS EFFECTED BY REMOVING THE PARTITION IN RESPONSE TO THE PROPULSION FORCES IMPARTED UPON THE WEAPON AND MIXING THE INGREDIENTS AND IGNITING THE MIXTURE.

United States Patent O' 3,701,573 WARHEAD William E. McQuistion, Port Tobacco, and Giorgio Tesi, Accokeek, Md., assgnors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Feb. 25, 1970, Ser. No. 17,991 Int. Cl. F42b 13/00 U.S. Cl. 102-57 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF 'THE DISCLOSURE A warhead in which the explosive ingredients are stored separately in partitioned spaces to render each ingredient by itself inert to shock. 'Ihe explosion is effected by removing the partition in response to the propulsion forces imparted upon the weapon and mixing the ingredients and igniting the mixture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention generally relates to explosive warheads and more particularly to a warhead which is loaded with either liquid or solid high explosives readily detonatable by suitable initiation.

In the past, warheads for ordnance Weapons, such as torpedoes and projectiles, have been loaded by filling the warhead with either liquid or solid high explosives which are ready to detonate upon suitable initiation. Although these explosives are usually selected to reduce their sensitivity to shock, impact or other initiating impulses, the explosive nature of their composition makes them potentially hazardous to accidental initiation. In many cases, such uncontrolled initiation has resulted in catastrophic explosions wherein serious injury and extensive property damage is involved. With the methods heretofore employed, the energy of the explosive has been limited by the tendency of the explosives to become more sensitive to initiation as the energy is increased, thus increasing also the hazards in handling of such highly energetic explosives. Thus, the storage of such high energy explosivescontaining warheads in confined areas such as, for example, aboard ships and in submarines, is a cause of great apprehension to the personnel thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a warhead for an ordnance device wherein the ingredients of the explosive composition are normally maintained insensitive until the ordnance |vehicle is placed into operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a warhead having explosive ingredients therein which are insensitive to inadvertent environmental initiating forces and possess storage capability under extreme environmental conditions.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a warhead which is economical in construction and may be safely stockpiled and handled without fear of detonation.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a warhead having increased lethality without coincidentally increasing the hazards involved in the handling of the warhead.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by separating two insensitive ingredients of an explosive composition in separate storage areas within a warhead with a device which will enable complete mixing of the ingredients after launching of the Weapon. 'Ihe nature of the separation and the mixing varies depending upon the nature of the warhead and the nature of the ingredients employed. Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of 3,701,573 Patented Oct. 3l, 1972 ICC the present invention, a piston separating two chambers of a cylinder, one of which is grooved longitudinally along the cylinder wall, is movable or advanceable by the propulsion forces imparted upon the Weapon for permitting the liuid or other explosive ingredients to mix through the grooved Wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Still other objects and many of the attendant advantages and features of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several figures and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a torpedo warhead formed according to the teachings of the present invention and showing a chamber-separating piston which may be advanced or moved between the chambers by a screw set in motion by the propulsion of the torpedo in the Water; and

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention adapted for use in an artillery shell wherein movement of the chamber-separating piston is accomplished by the longitudinal and centrifugal .forces imparted to the shell upon the firing thereof from a `gun barrel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a cylindrical container 10 having formed therein a pair of chambers 12 and 14 separated by a partition or piston member 16 sealably engaging the interior wall of the cylinder and movably disposed along the axis thereof. An elongate rod 18 is axially disposed within the cylinder 10, being primarily positioned within the chamber 12, and having one end thereof extending through an aperture 20 formed in the end wall of the chamber 12 which is suitably connected to rotational driving means, such for example as the propeller of a torpedo for being rotatably driven thereby while the torpedo is being propelled within the water. The other end of the rod 18 is threaded and extends axially through the partitioning member 16 in threaded engagement therewith for causing the partitioning member 16 to be moved within the cylinder 10 along the rod 18 in the direction of the chamber 12.

Longitudinally disposed within the cylinder 10 along the interior wall thereof on the chamber 12 side of the cylinder are a plurality of elongate grooves 22 which normally communicate with only the chamber 12 and are separated from the chamber 14 by the partitioning member 16. Upon movement of the partitioning member 16 these grooves are effective for bypassing the partitioning member and allowing the contents of the chamber 12 to be transferred to the chamber 14. By placing two insensitive duid-like ingredients of an explosive composition in the chambers 12 and 14, respectively, and separating the same with the partitioning member 16, complete safety is provided against accidental detonation during handling and storage of the weapon. The combination of the ingredients in the chambers 12 and 14 to form the high explosive mixture in the warhead is accomplished upon release of the weapon from its launching device, the partitioning member 16 being caused to move along the propellerdriven, threaded rod 18, whereby the ingredient in chamber 12 is forced through the grooves 22 into the chamber 14. Thus, the explosive is available for its purpose upon reaching the target. Thorough mixing of the ingredients may be enhanced by a mixer or stirrer 24 disposed upon the end of the rod 18 Within the chamber 14 for being rotated therewith while the transfer of ingredients takes place.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown another embodiment of this invention adapted to be used within an artillery shell, or the like, in which the release and mixing of the insensitive explosive ingredients can be accomplished by the longitudinal and centrifugal forces imparted to the shell upon firing thereof from a gun barrel, or the like. Separation of the insensitive ingredients in this case is maintained in much the same manner as in the torpedo warhead, a piston member 16 being employed between two chambers 12 and 14 within a cylindrical member 10 for preventing the mixing of the ingredients disposed within the chambers 12 and 14. Also, as in the previous embodiment, a plurality of longitudinal grooves 22 formed in the wall of the cylindrical member along that portion only which bounds the chamber 12 provides for uid communication between the chambers 12 and 14 upon movement of the piston member 16 in the direction of the chamber 12.

A supporting wall 28 is securably aixed within the cylindrical member 10 for confining the ingredient in chamber 14 therewithin. An elongate sleeve 30 is attached at one end to the support 28 and extends axially into the chamber 14. The sleeve 30 is interiorly threaded at the end thereof connected to the support 28 for receiving in threaded engagement the threaded end of a stem portion 32 integrally formed on one face of the piston mem- 1ber 16. The piston stern 32 has an axial bore 34 therein in which there is disposed a compression spring member 36, which abuts at the open end of the piston stem 32 with the face of the supporting wall 28 defining one end of the chamber 14.

Accordingly, it may be seen that when properly installed within an artillery shell or other spinning projectile, being oriented along the longitudinal spin axis thereof, this device will be operative in response to the longitudinal setback and centrifugal spinning forces imparted thereon for disengaging the piston stem 32 from the guiding sleeve 30 through relative rotation therebetween, whereupon the piston 16 is urged in the direction of chamber 12 by the compression spring 36, thereby to force the insensitive uid ingredient from the chamber 12 through the grooves 22 and into the chamber 14. Increased mixing efficiency of the two ingredients may be accomplished, if desired, by baffle members disposed on the interior wall of the cylindrical chamber 10.

Examples of ingredients which can be employed in this invention as oxidizers are hydroxylammonium perchlorate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium perchlorate, perchloric acid and nitric acid, among others, and as fuels in the other chamber organic materials such as alcohols, hydrocarbons, ethers or metals such aluminum, zirconium, boron and lithium, to name a few. These materials may be used alone or in combination, either as liquids, suspensions, solutions or solids.

Obviously, the embodiments described herein are readily variable structurally for adapting the same for use with mines, bombs and other air-launched weapons. The principal advantage a'orded is that the present invention provides a safe explosive weapon with long storage life by maintaining separation of two intrinsically insensitive and stable ingredients of explosive composition until the weapon is launched.

Many other modifications and variations of the present invention are obviously possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a warhead for a weapon comprising:

a cylindrical container closed at both ends;

a movable piston seal disposed within said container for dividing it into two chambers to separately contain the insensitive ingredients of an explosive cornposition;

longitudinal groove means in the wall of said cylinder for providing a normally closed passageway between said two chambers and openable upon axial movement of said piston;

means responsive to the propulsion of said warhead for moving said piston axially including;

means releasably maintaining said piston centrally in said container;

means responsive to the axial and centrifugal forces developed by said warhead for releasing said said piston; and

means urging said piston to move axially to open said groove means.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said urging means comprises a compression spring.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means releasably maintaining said piston centrally in said cylinder comprises:

an elongated leg depending from said piston;

an elongated sleeve member extending from said one end of said container in the direction of said piston member for receiving therein in threaded engagement said piston leg;

said piston leg having an elongated bore therein,

whereby said spring is disposed within said bore between said piston and said one end of said cylinder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 325,538 9/1885 Hayes 102-57 375,190 12/1887 Palmer 102-57 2,402,552 6/1946 Hopkins 102-57 2,409,282 10/1946 Hopkins 102--57 VERLIN R. PENDERGRASS. Primary Examiner 

